When Algerian born Cheb i Sabbah recorded La Kahena in 2005, he deliberately took his sound back to his north African roots, collaborating with a number of female vocalists from the region. A year later he's extended the musical concept of that album with "La Ghriba: La Kahena Remixed". The sound produced by the 11 hand-picked remixers freely crosses world and electronic music borders, delivering a sound that although heavily influenced by modern electornic style, is also still strongly north African in sound.

1. Toura Toura (the Nav Deep remix)
2. Sadats (Les Filles de Marrakech remix)
3. Alkher Illa Doffor (the nectar remix)
4. Jarat Fil Hub (the chalice remix)
5. Esh 'Dani, Alash Mshit (the rai of light club remix)
6. Sadats (the sufi sonic remix)
7. Alla Al 'Hbab (the hydrophobia remix)
8. Toura Toura (the Medina remix)
9. Madh Assalhin (the zen breaks remix)
10. Esh 'Dani, Alash Mshit (the constantine remix)
11. Im Ninalou (the groovio deep end remix)

The roster of remix talent spans a wide geographic area, from Morocco and California to Japan, England and more, and includes DJ Sandeep Kumar, Fnaïre, Bassnectar, Yossi "Ex-Centric" Fine, Temple of Sound, MoMo, Dar Beida 04, The Chakadoons, Makyo, Bill Laswell, and Gaurav Raina of Midival Punditz.

There is no escaping the Moroccan influence on this album, and not simply because of its original influence, but for the fact that a number of the remixers call Morocco home. Tracks like "Alkher Illa Doffor (the nectar remix)" are thick with northern California's electronic influence, remarkable for its use of fat synth keys and broad strokes of slow moving, head nodding beats. Others take on a more trance influenced sound of persistent 4/4 beats and bleeping synth keys.

The Chakadoons drop a nicely minimal take on "Toura Toura", while Makyo puts a lush, dubbed out spin on "Madh Assalhin". In the realm of "world" influenced electronica Cheb i Sabbah's La Ghriba walks a crooked line from played out "club" trance, to diggably head nodding near eastern downtempo.

You have to face it, Indian and north African musicians know rhythm like their chefs know how to use spice. There's no matching it.

Add a Comment